Shipping Trade and Transport News 2nd December 2015 

 

Port News

 

Port of Mobasa (vessels in port 25) - 2000 containers lost by cargo theft at Kenya Ports. Traders are puzzled at how the theft is taking place undetected. 

 

Laem Chabank -  The port has plans for a £111 million upgrade to improve efficiency as a trade hub for ASEAN.

 

Trade News - EU Commission Priority -The internet and digital technologies are transforming our world. This could contribute €415 billion per year to our economy and create hundreds of thousands of new jobs. 

 

It's time to make the EU's single market fit for the digital age – tearing down regulatory walls and moving from 28 national markets to a single one.

 

TTIP  EU - USA 1st May 2016

 

The EU is negotiating an ambitious and balanced trade and investment deal with the US. The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) will create new trade and investment opportunities for companies, big and small, and new jobs. For consumers, it will cut prices and widen choice, while keeping the EU's high standards for consumer protection, social rights and environmental rules. 

 

EU aim is to lower and remove customs duties to the US and at the same time cut red tape between the EU and USA

 

Full details are available on request including prospective seller/buyers' agents and distributors. 

AEO/UCC  1st May 2016 centralised clearance to be introucted 2020

UCC - Centralised clearance 2020

This is due to be introduced in 2020.
The scope of centralised clearance and exactly how it will work isn’t yet clear as it’s still the subject of negotiations. However, it’s expected that:

• a declaration will be lodged at an office in the EU member state which granted that authorisation
• the goods will be presented and imported in another member state

The current Single Authorisation for Simplified Procedures (SASP), which can be seen as a form of centralised clearance, will continue in its current form until centralised clearance is finalised.
However, if a SASP authorisation is combined with an EIDR authorisation, the EIDR restrictions will apply from 1 May 2016.
Centralised clearance is available to any operator as long as they hold an AEOC authorisation and meet any additional conditions that may be in place.

Centralised clearance operating models

It’s expected that there’ll be 4 possible models for centralised clearance. These are:

• full declaration
• entry in the declarant’s records with notification
• entry in the declarant’s records with notification waiver
• simplified declaration

Applicable VAT rate

Import VAT will be due at the rate applicable in the member state where the goods are imported, not where the declaration is made.

Self-assessment

This is expected to be introduced at a later date.

HMRC News 1st December 2015

New AEO criterion - Did you know?

The UCC introduces a new criterion of practical competence or a professional qualification (UCC Article 39(d)) directly related to the Customs activities.

In the UK HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) understands it is unlikely that businesses will have a professional qualification so focus will be on the demonstration and evidence of practical competence over the previous 3 years.

This new criterion only applies to AEO Customs Simplifications (AEOC).